Purging Feeders Theory

[draetish]

This theory is for keepers with small supplies of feeders bought on weekly basis:

Buy feeders at least 48 hrs prior to feeding and keep them in a bin without food or water.

The night before feeding to your cham, pick feeders and put in separate bin with fresh greens, carrots and water crystals.

My theory is that the feeders will have expelled anything they have previously eaten and be hungry and thirsty and will gorge themselves on “fresh” veg and be much hydrated for a nice juicy meal in the morning. This also eliminates the need to “clean out” the main feeder bin and keep the smell down.

Please comment on the pros and cons of this theory and if it could be used for larger supplies as well.

 

[CleaTheChameleon]

Wow this is smart. Thanks! I will use this! Thanks a ton.

 

[kinyonga]

Why keep them for a night without feeding them?

 

[CleaTheChameleon]

Why keep them for a night without feeding them?

i guess so they can get rid of anything they ate from where you buy them from

 

[draetish]

It's not just for "a" night. The bulk of feeders are left in a bin without food or water. The feeders that will be fed the next morning are placed in a separate bin to gorge on fresh greens and water crystals so they are nice and plump in the morning. The key is to let them get hungry and thirsty instead of spoiling them with constant supply of food. Plus you wouldn't have to clean out old food from the main large bin.

 

[CNorton]

I think a cricket will get hungry and thirsty in all of 2 hours without food or water. Maybe less.

I just give them good stuff as soon as I get them into their bin. Works for me!

 

[draetish]

I think a cricket will get hungry and thirsty in all of 2 hours without food or water. Maybe less.

I just give them good stuff as soon as I get them into their bin. Works for me!

Don't you get tired of taking out the old wilted greens and vegs that is all mixed up with poop and crystals and replacing them? Not to mention they stink after a day.

 

[jessica]

I see what you are saying, the night without food is like a cleansing process. Get out the gross stuff and be ready for the good stuff, reassuring they eat the gut load you provide.

The only thing I worry about is cannibalism. I've seen crickets do this in a feeder cup with in a few hours of no food.

 

[ChamOh]

i know what you're saying but i think a lot of feeders will die this way like seomone already mentioned..

I guess you'd feel better perhaps knowing for sure that they are eating your gutload, but i just trust that they are. even if they have access to food all the time, they will be expelling the old stuff.

 

[draetish]

Thanks for your opinions, again it is a theory and posted to hear the pros and cons.

 

[ChamOh]

Thanks for your opinions, again it is a theory and posted to hear the pros and cons.

absolutely. it's great hearing about people's creative ideas. i was just thinking aloud. i could be way off.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I think if you buy your feeders at least 24 hrs before you feed them off that is sufficient time to get all the old stuff out of them they had been eating. I know when i put mine in my tub they immed go to the water and the crick crack first then I see them go afer the fruits and veggies. I know personally I dont have the time or space to keep that many seperate tubs of crix. I already have to keep two sizes of crix now so that means I would have 4 crick tubs to clean instead of 2. Jmo Donna, if you try it and it seems to make a difference plz tell me.

 

[draetish]

It's not so much the cleansing out of the crickets since we all know you shouldn't feed them off for at least 24 hrs after you get them. My main objective to this whole thing is......one, getting rid of the wilted veg in the big bin to avoid the stink and having to clean it out by not feeding in that and two knowing they just gorged on fresh veg and crystals right before I feed them off.

 

[camshaft]

I've found that putting green or red peppers in with the veggies keeps the nasty cricket smell down. I replace food and clean the bin about every 3 days so its not a real big deal.

 

[laurie]

We all know I go for what works. I still love the person (- wish I could remember who- does anyone know-) who explained how they make frozen gutload ice cubes. I no longer worry about water and my caretaking is a breeze. I have 2 flat lids, one for Steve's cricket crack, the other holds 2 ice cube gut load. I feel they get it all. Water in the wet gutload, along with lots of fruit & veggies, and all there other needs are covered by the dry gut load. I replace the lids every day, rinse & repeat. What can I say - I know fresh is better, but sometimes I just do what I need to get things done. It Works.